Chapter 21
Chapter 21:
Kailey had actually planned to treat Nora herself, so she shook her head. “No, I should be the one paying. You just spent all that time helping me p>
Nora’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Then let Kyson pay for both of us p>
Kailey paused, then laughed softly. “Alright. That works too p>
The two of them chatted as they strolled through the mall, and after they ate, Nora made good on her word and sent Kyson the bill.
Kailey felt a little uncomfortable about it, particularly since she hadn’t seen Kyson in two years. She decided she should at least buy him a gift.
N𝘰𝗏el𝗌 𝗶n 𝘵𝘳𝗲𝗇d o𝗇
Nora looked at Kailey’s fresh, youthful face and teased, “You are already the best gift he could get. Why waste money p>
“Nora,” Kailey said, shooting her a warning look. “It’s not like that between us p>
Nora blinked with exaggerated innocence. “Aren’t you two engaged to be married p>
“We are, but p>
Kailey knew that the marriage wouldn’t be a conventional one. Even so, she couldn’t find the right words to explain it, so she simply shook her head. “Either way, I still want to buy him something p>
Noticing how firm she was, Nora quietly sent Kyson a message. “The road ahead is long, my friend. Winning her over will not be easy p>
Kyson replied with nothing but a question mark.
Nora glanced at the screen and chose not to answer.
They wandered through the mall for quite a while, and after carefully considering her budget, Kailey finally settled on a tie from a niche designer brand. The price wasn’t outrageous, but it still used up nearly half of what she had left.
Once they were done, Nora drove Kailey home.
At the entrance of the villa, Nora leaned out the window, blew her a playful kiss, and called out, “Since we’re friends now, Kailey, come to me if you ever need anything p>
“I will. Drive safely, Nora p>
In good spirits, Kailey stood and watched the car disappear before turning toward the house.
The moment she stepped inside, Ryan walked out from the kitchen holding a glass of water, his brows drawn together. “Why are you back so late p>
Before she could respond, his eyes dropped to the bag in her hand. “Did you go shopping p>
Without thinking, Kailey shifted the bag behind her. “Yes p>
Ryan’s gaze sharpened. “Who were you with p>
Ryan’s voice carried its usual edge, but Kailey refused to let it rattle her. She answered steadily, “Who I choose to spend time with is my own business. Surely you wouldn’t want to control who I make friends with p>
It struck her as oddly funny. After ignoring her for days, Ryan had reappeared out of nowhere. Olivia must have said something unflattering about her again, painting her as some kind of problem.
“If you have something to say, please get to the point. I’d like to rest,” Kailey said, her patience worn thin.
Ryan seemed genuinely caught off guard by her bluntness. His jaw tightened. “You’ve grown awfully bold, Kailey. Going out with someone who’s a bad influence, then coming home and talking back p>